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Composer

Kīngi Kiriona

Kingi Kiriona (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Apa) has established himself as a prominent composer, orator and performing artist. Kingi rose to fame while still at secondary school, winning both English and Māori sections of the National Manu Kōrero competition. His prowess in oratory and composition followed through to Tainui Regional and National Kapa Haka competitions, co-founding a new and innovative team, Te Iti Kahurangi in 2003.

Have you heard?
She’s left her husband
And is doing the dirty!
What about the latest?
He’s jumped the fence.
To bat for the other team. Queen!

Generated by tattlers
Instigated by trouble-makers
And by nosey women tale-bearers
I’m talking about gossip!

What begins as gossip
Can end up as gospel
Keep your ears open
What starts off as the truth
Can be twisted into a lie, in which case
Keep your ears shut

Have you heard about him
He’s mucking around, the evidence
Is written all over his body​​What about her?
She’s got a pot belly, I heard it’s because
She’s pregnant from that one night-stand
With so and so.

Don’t believe everything you hear
Unless it comes from the horses mouth
I’m talking about gossip!

If anything is ever said about you
Don’t pay attention, even though it’s hard
To bear pain with firmness
By merely worrying about it, you are only
Satisfying the gossip-mongers intentions
Keep the faith! Love is the best weapon.

Explanation

The poi was composed as a clever, entertaining and light-hearted response to some very burdensome rumours and warns of the consequences of gossip mongering, and offers advice to those who fall victim to it; ‘kia mau kit e rangimārie me te aroha – keep the faith!’
Tune: Te Waipounamu Teinakore, Te Manawaroa Teinakore